Saltwater (2000)

User Rating:

6.4/10   

Director:

Conor McPherson

Writer:

Conor McPherson (written by)

Release Date:

29 September 2000 (Ireland)

Plot Keywords:

Irish | Based On Play

Awards:

3 wins

Cast

Peter McDonald	...	Frank
Brian Cox	...	George
Conor Mullen	...	Ray
Laurence Kinlan	...	Joe
Brendan Gleeson	...	Simple Simon
Eva Birthistle	...	Deborah McCeever
Valerie Spelman	...	Carmel
David O'Rourke	...	Damien Fitzgibbon
Caroline O'Boyle	...	Tara
Gina Moxley	...	Sgt Duggan
Garrett Keogh	...	Tony Regan
Michael McElhatton	...	John Traynor
Pat Shortt	...	Mr. Fanning
Carl Duering	...	Konigsberg
Olwen Fouere	...	Trish Meehan
Maria McDermottroe	...	Headmistress
Alan King	...	Charlie
Mark Dunne	...	Junior
Billy Roche	...	Larry (Old Man)
Eamonn Hunt	...	Old Man
Anto Nolan	...	Bouncer One Tony
Simon Delaney	...	Bouncer Two Darren
Deirdre O'Kane	...	Maria Beneventi
Lisa Tierney Keogh	...	Orla
Hilda Fay	...	Cloakroom Att.
Nuala O'Neill	...	Michelle
Kevin Hely	...	Barman Teddy
Derry Power	...	Old Man In Bookies
Andrew Bennett	...	Garda
Sean Flanagan	...	Lawless (as Sean O'Flanagan)
Simon Jewell	...	Duignan
Peter Coonan	...	Rooney
Ciaran Delaney	...	Hennessy
Michael Coonan	...	Logan
Sean Madden	...	Teacher
Joanne Halpin	...	Girl in chipper
Eamon Murphy	...	Bouncer
Mary Kate O'Flanagan	...	Italian radio presenter
Donna Kennedy	...	Girl in jacuzzi
Tommy O'Neill	...	Bouncer 3
Lesley Conroy	...	Lisa

Directed by
Conor McPherson

Writing credits (in alphabetical order)
Conor McPherson		written by

Produced by
Dominic Dromgoole	....	associate producer
Claire Duignan	....	executive producer (as Clare Duignan)
Jan Roldanus	....	associate producer
Rod Stoneman	....	executive producer
David M. Thompson	....	executive producer
Robert Walpole	....	producer

Original Music by
The Plague Monkeys

Cinematography by
Oliver Curtis		(director of photography)

Film Editing by
Emer Reynolds

Casting by
Maureen Hughes
Deirdre O'Kane
Gail Stevens

Production Design by
Luana Hanson

Art Direction by
Sarah Hauldren

Costume Design by
Kathy Strachan

Makeup Department
Sandra Kelly	....	hair stylist
Denise Watson	....	makeup artist

Production Management
Bruce Everett	....	post-production supervisor
Seamus McInerney	....	production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Peter Agnew	....	first assistant director
Paddy Breathnach	....	second unit director
Susan Drennan	....	trainee assistant director
Ingrid Goodwin	....	extras co-ordinator
Ray Kenny	....	trainee assistant director
Charlotte Somers	....	second assistant director
Dermot Whelan	....	third assistant director

Art Department
Michael Flood	....	property master

Sound Department
Jim Corcoran	....	sound mixer
Michael Crouch	....	supervising sound editor
Patrick Doyle	....	boom operator (as Patrick J. Doyle)
Craig Irving	....	sound re-recording mixer
Sam Southwick	....	sound effects editor

Special Effects by
Aidan Byrne	....	special effects
Brendan Byrne	....	special effects

Stunts
Brendan Condren	....	stunts
Joe Condren	....	stunts
Patrick Condren	....	stunt coordinator
Norman Kelly	....	stunts

Camera and Electrical Department
Robert Cuddy	....	best boy
Adrienne Dollard	....	focus puller
Sarah Francis	....	clapper loader
Jonathan Hession	....	still photographer
Ciaran Kavanagh	....	focus puller
Davie Mayes	....	generator operator
James McGuire	....	gaffer
Anthony Meade	....	camera trainee
Howard Smith	....	Steadicam operator
Graeme Haughton	....	electrician (uncredited)

Casting Department
Maureen Duff	....	casting: UK

Editorial Department
Paul A. Byrne	....	telecine colorist
Jamie O'Halleron	....	editor trainee

Transportation Department
Brendan King	....	unit driver
Michael Phelan	....	unit driver

Other crew
Maria Collins	....	production coordinator
Lisa Drayne	....	assistant production coordinator
Eoin Holohan	....	location assistant
Rachel O'Flanagan	....	executive: Treasure Films

Production Companies

• Alta Films (in association with)
• BBC Films
• Bórd Scannán na hÉireann (as Bord Scannán na hÉireann/The Irish Film Board)
• Radio Telefís Éireann (RTÉ) (in association with)
• Treasure Films (as A Treasure Films Production)

Distributors

• Artificial Eye
• Buena Vista International (2000) (Ireland) (theatrical)

Other Companies

• Sylvia Wheeler Film Services  negative cutting

Runtime:

97 min

Country:

Ireland

Language:

English

Colour:

Colour

Certification:

Ireland:15 | Spain:13 | Sweden:11 | UK:15

Filming Locations:

Dublin, County Dublin, Ireland

Company:

Alta Films

Disappointing directorial debut from writer of "I Went Down"

"Saltwater" is the directorial debut of Conor McPherson, the writer of the very funny film, "I Went Down". As such, "Saltwater" promises much but delivers very little. It is a disjointed and ill-conceived attempt to do for Dublin what "Short Cuts" did for Los Angeles. The main stories concern an Irish-Italian café owner in debt to the local bookie and the attempt by one of his two sons to exact revenge for his father's humiliation, the adventures of another son of the above man and his latchkey schoolfriend, and a university lecturer and friend of the above family who embarks on a fling with a college student. There are vague references to a woman who could possibly be the mother of the family who is no longer present but this is never made clear.

The separate plots barely relate to each other and have significant holes which stretch credulity. Furthermore, the story set in the university (University College Dublin, for the benefit of location freaks) seems to exist entirely for the purposes of its 'hilarious' climax. Characters are not well developed and some are almost cardboard cutouts, such as the schoolgoing son, his friend and their teacher, to name but a few. The stories do not develop logically and fail to reach any satisfactory conclusion leaving many loose ends unresolved.

Finally, the film is so blandly photographed as to be a TV film rather than a large screen motion picture. There is no appreciation of the art of cinema at all. McPherson is better known as a writer for theatre and this is patently obvious from "Saltwater". It appears that he has made the transition from stage to screen too quickly for his own good. Overall, I cannot recommend people to go and see this film.